Japan–Maldives relations

Japan-Maldives relations

Japan
Maldives

Japan–Maldives relations are foreign relations between Japan and Maldives. Diplomatic relations were established in 1967.[1]

History

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the former President of the Maldives, had visited Japan four times between 1984 and 2001. In 2014 Abdulla Yameen, the President of Maldives, met with Japanese Prime minister, Shinzo Abe in Tokyo.[2]
Maldives opened an embassy in Tokyo, in 2007.[3] Japan also has an embassy in Malé, the Maldives.

Anti-tsunami barrier of Japan's ODA Project

Malé after the tsunami caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.

In 1987, a massive storm surge hit and flooded a large part of the Maldives. The devastating surge wielded a strong influence on this island country in the Indian Ocean, particularly the infrastructure in Malé was paralyzed and damaged at an estimated cost of U.S.$6 million.[4] GDP of the Maldives, afterwards, decreased 5.70% in this year compared to the previous one, or from U.S.$158 million in 1986 to U.S.$149 million in 1987.[5] Malé instantly requested Tokyo for the emergency assistance and an aid in preventing disaster like the storm surge, and Japanese government accepted it. A coastal protection project supported by Japan' ODA soon began within the year, and it continued until 2002 when completed the six kilometers long barrier all the way around the capital.[4]

Just two years after this project was consummated, in 2004, a massive undersea earthquake of magnitude 9.1 or more occurred and tsunami attacked the western part of the Pacific Ocean and almost every coastal area of the Indian Ocean including the Maldives. This enormous tsunami killed 230,000–280,000 people in Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Madagascar, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, and the Maldives outside Malé Island.[6][7][8] Nevertheless, in the Maldives, the anti-tsunami barrier built by collaboration between both of the island countries, protected those who lived in Malé without any deaths.[4]

Diplomatic missions

Japanese ambassadors to Maldives

  1. Kazumi Endo (2016-)[9]

Maldivian ambassadors to Japan

  1. Abdul Hameed Zakariyya (2008-2009)[10]
  2. Ahmed Khaleel (2009-2016)[11]
    Adam Hamid (Chargé d'affaires, 2016-2017)[12]
  3. Mohamed Hussain Shareef (2016-2017)[13]
    Adam Hamid (Chargé d'affaires, 2017-)

References

  1. ↑ "Japan-Maldives Relations (Basic Data)". Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Japan). November 2013. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  2. ↑ "President Yameen announced a successful bilateral summit meeting". Maldives Embassy. 15 April 2014. Archived from the original on 17 September 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  3. ↑ "Opening reception Thursday, May 10, 2007 Embassy of Maldives". Maldives Embassy. 10 May 2007. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 Highlighting JAPAN > Sixty Years of Japan's ODA > Ring of Protection: Japanese breakwaters protected capital from large tsunami | Cabinet Office, Government of Japan - August 2014
  5. ↑ Maldives GDP (official exchange rate) - Economy
  6. ↑ "Earthquakes with 50,000 or More Deaths". U.S. Geological Survey. Archived from the original on 5 June 2013.
  7. ↑ "Indonesia quake toll jumps again". BBC News. 25 January 2005. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  8. ↑ "Indian Ocean tsunami anniversary: Memorial events held". BBC News. 26 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  9. ↑ SunOnline - Japan appoints first resident Ambassador to Maldives - August 8, 2016
  10. ↑ Abdul Hameed Zakariyya | Profile
  11. ↑ The President's Office - President Yameen appoints Ahmed Khaleel as Secretary, Bilateral at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  12. ↑ Foreign Secretary meets with Mr. Shingo Yamagami, Director-General (Acting) and Mr. Koichi Ai, Director of Research Coordination of JIIA. | Maldives Embassy - 2 February 2017
  13. ↑ SunOnline - Majlis backs Mundhu as new Ambassador to Japan - August 16, 2016
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